AT THE SAME TIME IN ISTANBUL...

The sun was warming our bodies while the smell of the sea and the voice of the seagulls warming our hearths. 

And something was happening... 

FISH HARVEST SERVICE

When we visit new places, new cultures, we try to pop-up in their temples and observe the rituals and sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of these events like Buddha’s birthday celebration in a small, no touristic temple in Shanghai where we saw impressive scenes and at the end shared noodle soup with chinese community. It was one of most unforgettable moments of our travels.

Also we like special events in special temples like blessing of cars in a church in Coppacabana, Bolivia or a monastery in Symi Island, Greece visited by sailors for blessing.

This morning we enjoyed a very special service at St. Mary-at-Hill Church near Old Billingsgate Fish Market: Fish Harvest Service. When we arrived there, the nartex of the church decorated with fresh fishes and other richeness of the sea by fishmongers of Billingsgate Fish Market welcomed us.

Everybody prayed and shared their good wishes for seafarers, listened the church choir in company with the St. Mary-at-Hill Church’s organ which is described as one of the ten most important organs in the history of British organ building. Following the service, we joined the white wine and sushies (yes sushies) shared as a courtesy of the church. And we recorded another good memory to our London days.

From the prayers of seafarers:

“...we pray to thee for all seafarers and those who serve their needs; for keepers of lighthouses and the pilots of our ports; for all who man the lifeboats and guard our coasts; for the men of the fishing fleets and those who carry out the services of docks and harbours; for the guilds and societies which care for the wellbeing of fishermen and their families...”

THE SMELL OF THE AEGEAN SEA

Since three weeks we were in Turkey enjoying the last days of summer, eating fresh figs, fresh wallnuts, green tangerines, aegean fishes, goat cheese, laying down under the sun, swimming in cristal clear aegean waters with calamaries and fishes.

And we left our hearths in Aegean Sea, again...  

SMELL OF THE SEA IN PORTSMOUTH

Yesterday we were in Portsmouth. It wasn’t an ideal day for being on the sea side but c’mon, is there a really ideal weather for planning something in UK? We tried our best and enjoyed the visit.

First we visited Charles Dickenson’s house where he born and died. (The museum is not open to the public till 28 January). It was a small museum and –unfortunately- except the sofa where he died and a kitchen cupbord in the souvenir shop, all in the house were replicas of the same period.

Then we walked to The Historic Dockyard of Portsmouth. Most exciting part of the visit of this big maritime museum, was the battleship H.M.S. Warrior.

Then we walked through Gunwharf Quays, Spinnaker Tower, Square Tower and Round Tower and take a break in The Still&West, a lovely, classic pub next to the sea before getting back to London. We had a toast to the honor of Mr. Dickenson’s 200th birthday in front of this stove.